Kevin Ding of the Orange County Register Blog wrote:Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak and Andrew Bynum’s agent, David Lee, met for about an hour Friday at the Lakers’ offices in El Segundo with no resolution on Bynum’s possible contract extension. If Bynum doesn’t get a new deal done by Oct. 31, he probably won’t have to worry — the way Lamar Odom might — about not getting starter’s minutes this season in a contract drive.

Phil Jackson indicated he plans in the regular season on starting both Bynum and Pau Gasol — which is not huge revelation given that Jackson said in Fresno nine days ago that he wasn’t starting his big men together in the early exhibitions to wake them up and get them working better together. Vladimir Radmanovic continues to work mostly as the starting small forward ahead of Odom, Trevor Ariza and Luke Walton.

Jackson also said the money issue hasn’t seemed to be a distraction to Bynum, but he might be better served focusing more of his workout time on basketball things. Bynum continues to do extra weight and conditioning work outside of Lakers practice with his trainer, Sean Zarzana.

“Sometimes almost he works too hard,” Jackson said. “The basketball side is the one right now he really has to work on: the reactions, the second efforts. He’s an intelligent enough guy to know all the (strategic) things we’re doing, so he’s not behind in that area, but it’s just the energy it takes to play the game. I do know that he’s working real hard on the conditioning aspect of it.”

Ramona Shelburne of the LA Daily News Blog wrote:Not that it's a huge deal, considering how deep the Lakers are this year, but Phil Jackson reminded everyone that the Lakers must trim their roster down to 15 by Tuesday. It currently sits at 17, so the guys on the bubble are likely: CJ Giles, Brandon Heath, Coby Karl and Joe Crawford.

Giles has looked impressive and athletic in the few times we've seen him pay in practice and exhibition games, and Phil Jackson has spoken glowingly about him on several occasions. But that doesn't necessarily mean that he'll make the team.

``He's really talented young man,'' Jackson said of Giles. ``He has recognition troubles sometimes but he's the only one who really wasn't here during our summer league. He came in right before preseason started so he didn't have the opportunity to learn as much as the other guys so he's been behind a little bit, but his athleticism makes up for it.''

Contracts also figure into the equation. Giles and Heath are free agents, with no guaranteed money. Sun Yue received $100,000 after passing his physical and becomes fully guaranteed for the rest of the year if he's on the opening day roster. Karl becomes guaranteed if he's on the roster January 9, as does Josh Powell.

Ramona Shelburne of the LA Daily News Blog wrote:Josh Powell did not play tonight because he missed Friday's practice due to the death of his father-in-law. Powell dressed but did not play in the win over FC Barcelona.

Mike Trudell of Lakers.com wrote:Quick note: Wanted to mention a cool European tradition we saw before the game: the gift exchange. Members of F.C.’s squad met each individual Laker with a gift at midcourt, and I’m going with a blanket or scarf. I’ll find out after the game if it’s something much nicer…

Sidenote: Sasha Vujacic told me before the game that he’s played with F.C.’s Jaka Lakovic at Slovenian National Team camp, though Lakovic is several years older. I mention this because my buddy just texted me that I look like him, which is probably not at all true (though he just dropped a three, which now pleases me). Random thought I forgot to mention: Josh Powell was listening to Young Geezy in the locker room prior to the game, but he also likes to mellow out to old school R&B on occasion. Sun Yue, he of the constant smile on his face and pleasant demeanor, simply said he hopes to sneak onto the court tonight.